AUSTRIA ON BMENA -- BUILDING SUPPORT FOR THE

UNCLAS VIENNA 003441

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/PI - WINCUP, EUR/ERA - BONO, AND EUR/AGS -
VIKMANIS-KELLER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID PGOV PHUM EU XG XF AU
SUBJECT: AUSTRIA ON BMENA -- BUILDING SUPPORT FOR THE
FOUNDATION FOR THE FUTURE

REF: STATE 190583


1. On October 24, Charge delivered reftel points to Johannes
Kyrle, the Austrian Foreign Ministry's Secretary General and
acting deputy Foreign Minister.


2. Kyrle recalled that Austria had made a generous pledge at
the Madrid Iraq conference in October 2003, and said the
Austrian cabinet would have to consider Austria's
participation in the Foundation for the Future. He would
ensure that the matter was brought to the attention of the
cabinet expeditiously but he could not foresee how fast the
government would take a decision. The Austrians would
appreciate updates on the donor list. MFA Middle East
Director Ralph Scheide said the Austrian Ambassador to Kuwait
(accredited to Bahrain) would likely attend the Bahrain
conference as an observer. Scheide said he would like to
discuss the issue further with the U.S. attendee at the
upcoming conference on "Islam in a Pluralistic World," which
Austria will host in Vienna November 14-16.
van Voorst